Radioactive
by fandom-duty-honor
Summary: Infected. She hated being called that. As the only one resistant, Artemis has the weight of the world on her shoulders. Not only does she have to travel across country to provide a cure, but she has to do it with no more than her best friend and try not to be killed by the mysterious group following them. A "The Last of Us" inspired AU. Spitfire.
1. Infected

_**AHHH! I'M BACK WITH MULTICHAP FICCCC? Ok. It's not the sequel to SG, but I'm still not totally sure where I'm going to go with that. I want whatever the sequel turns into to be just as good as Shop Girl, so I'm going to take my time brainstorming. Meanwhile, I've had this idea in my mind since I finished The LAst of Us, and now that I'm reading World War Z, it's the perfect time to get this out here.**_

_**The plan is for this to be a completely different style from SG. Less playful and more...dark? It's a much more serious piece, so hopefully I can capture that.**_

* * *

The doors slid open as the blonde man came in carrying the same Wednesday meal they always prepared.

"Bernerd," she said without missing a beat.

The man laughed and shook his head. "You already guessed that, and no." He sat the tray down on the table before pulling out the syringe. Artemis shivered. Sharp and intimidating as always. After a shot every month, she had hoped it would get easier, but each time it was as nerve wracking as the last. He seemed to notice her anxiety and smiled.

"Come on, let's just get it over with so you can eat your lunch in peace."

"Or we can skip it," Artemis offered. "I've been here pretty much my entire life, and nothing has changed. My rashes haven't spread, my blood work is always clean...I don't even feel the need to chew on human flesh! Barry, please, just skip this one shot!"

"But you're still infected, so we need to draw some blood just in case." Artemis sighed as she reluctantly offered him her arm. She hated being called that. Infected. Ever since the outbreak nearly twenty years ago, the word had only brought malice and quarantines. No one was really sure where the infection started, or how. People slowly appearing with rashes, some bearing oozing pustules or others as hard and scabby as bark. Despite its slow appearance, bodies soon started turning up over town - hard, petrified bodies riddled with bite marks as more and more individuals started displaying signs of infection. It spread like wildfire and the world seemed to go crazy.

The first recorded incident of anything actually resembling "zombies" came about six months later when an unlucky journalist came upon a group of infected just outside the city. The poor bastard didn't last much longer, but his camera was found weeks later containing evidence of cannibalism, as well as the last few moments of his unlucky life.

It was after that that the real panic set in. People showing signs of infection were turned out of hospitals to prevent any sort of airborne contagion and strangers started looking more and more like enemies. As more and more infected showed up outside the cities, the more the "healthies", as they came to be known, were locked in. Citizens were scanned before exiting cities and often had to wait for large groups to accumulate before being allowed to leave.

That was how Artemis's mother was attacked. Six months pregnant hardly left her in a strengthened position which lead to a nasty bite on the back of her leg. Most in the group weren't keen on letting her continue to travel with them, but her pregnancy lead to a few sympathetic enough to get her to the nearest hospital. The infection spread at an alarmingly slow rate and seemed to miraculously avoid her stomach. Artemis was delivered without any complications...up until her mother quickly took a turn for the worst, rashes quickly spreading up towards her torso. It was unexpected. She took an unlucky nurse down before being restrained.

Despite her mother's infection and all the tests, Artemis's blood yielded negative results - not even a strain of the virus. An average birth, an average weight...with the exception of the rashes on her arms and a small one around her stomach, there was no way to tell she was a carrier.

"Done." Barry's words shook her from her thoughts. "Now eat your sandwich."

She ate her sandwich in silence as she watched Barry fill out the same form he had been filling out for years. _Shot number three million and seven_, she thought. _As with the last three million and six it would appear as though nothing's changed. Still afraid of shots and still hasn't guess my real name._

"So what did you think of the book?"

She swallowed and glanced at the unopened book on her bedside table. "You mean another society without rules book?" Another bite. "Completely fascinating. Why do we only have post-apocalyptic or importance of society books?"

"So what did it take for you to convince Wally to do all your work?"

"It's his favorite book, it was hardly impossible."

"He only likes it because it's Linda's favorite book."

"Ooooh! Linda!" Artemis responded with feigned excitement. She took another bite.

"Don't be so jealous, Artemis. Guys don't like that." A voice rang out over the intercom. The doors opened for the tall redhead as he walked in. Artemis rolled her eyes before tossing a crumpled napkin at his face.

"I'm still technically infected, and I will bite you." He grabbed the second half of her sandwich off her plate despite her protests.

"So what's the deal? You dead yet?"

"Yes, Wally. After seventeen years of being completely fine, my infection has decided to finally kill me." She grabbed her lunch back out of his hands. "Also you would be heartbroken without me."

Wally smiled through his last bite of her sandwich. "Your entertainment value would be considerably less dead." Trying not laugh, Artemis glared at him. They had been friends for as long as she could remember, but they still bickered like children. She hated admitting that Wally was her best friend, but then again he was the only one close in age. Still immature as ever, Wally had a smile that lit up rooms and made Artemis want to hit him in the teeth.

"She's not dying," Barry started as he finished his paperwork, "but you might be once your parents hear that you're doing her homework."

"You told him?" Artemis shrugged as she finished her sandwich. Wally sighed. "Well, it's not like it's the first time."

Barry looked between the two and smiled. "Why don't you guys get out of here for a bit? I'm going to be scheduling some tests for Artemis for this afternoon, so I'm sure she'll appreciate getting some air."

"Do I have to clean up after her, too?" Wally narrowly dodged her arm as she made a swing for the back of his head.

"Come on, Wallace. The outside world awaits." She pulled on his arm before leading him out the room. Back in his chair, Barry laughed some more, shaking his head over his papers.

Despite the futuristic feel of her own room, the rest of the compound left much to be desired. Her room was bright and clean, airtight locks with no signs of the devastation outside. The rest sat dark and bleak. It was obviously at one point a very nice facility, probably a rehabilitation center of some sort. They were isolated from larger cities, but near by enough that they weren't sitting ducks. Outside there were remnants of gardens and fountains that someone still tended to, a small semblance of normalcy.

"So what tests are they running on you?" Wally asked. They walked through the building winding hallways. The cold autumn air slipped through the cracks between windows causing Artemis to pull the sleeves down on her jacket.

"Probably just stress tests. I think I'm going to be shipped off out west soon. Do the cure thing."

"Oh. Cool?"

She shrugged. Ever since word got out of her condition, rumors had been flying around over a cure. A _real _cure. A few placebos had been made over the years, but Artemis held the key to the real deal, or so they said. She was no scientist, and had no idea just...how an antidote would be made. All she knew was that she provided the answers.

"How far out west?" His eyes looked distant as they made it outside to one the gardens. Mindlessly, he lead them over to a rundown bench. They always sat here. It was far enough away to be just out of ears. Moss had taken over the stone seating, but it only made it a more appealing place to sit. Their own secret garden they had once called it.

"Los Angeles. There used to be a S.T.A.R. Labs out there that might be of some use, plus apparently that's where the doctors are. I guess it makes more sense for the sick girl to travel out there for whatever reason."

Wally didn't seem to acknowledge her. Something about her infection always seemed to quieten him whenever they spoke. Instead of the happy-go-lucky personality she loved, he turned pensive and soft. They sat in silence in the fall air watching the clouds and the world around them. Nothing else. Only the two of them.

* * *

Artemis had no idea how long she had been asleep on Wally's shoulder when the alarm went off. Loud and piercing, she fell off the bench with a start. Wally's eyes searched the area, painting his face with concern. Something had to be wrong. He wasn't laughing at her. Grabbing her hands, he pulled her to her feet.

"We need to get you back to your room. Now"

Wally ran incredibly fast for someone who had lived in what was essentially a refugee camp his whole life. They sped through twisting hallways back towards her room. Frantic people crowded by searching for loved ones and shelters. Voices cried out, most confused at the sudden alarm.

"Get her to her room as quickly as possible. I'm right behind you." Just as quickly as Barry appeared, he disappeared down an adjacent hallway. Wally nodded with a burst of speed that yanked on her arm.

"Wally-"

"Don't worry. You'll be fine." In all her years of living there, she had never heard the sirens. Infected, animals, looters...It could have been anything.

"But-"

"Artemis, you're going to be ok." He glanced back as he ran, never slowing down. "Just follow me. We'll be fine." They ran into the room and shut the door, Barry close behind them with suitcases in tow.

"Ok, pardon my french, but what the hell is going on?"

"Break in. Third sector, but making their way here. Quickly." Barry packed the already heavy bags, clothes and medical supplies.

"So what? Infected? Why the bags?" Wally stood near the door looking out the small glass window. Flashes of people ran by, old and young, all in panic.

"Not exactly. But you need to go now. Both of you."


	2. Stars

"Go? What do you mean go? We haven't even started thinking about L.A." Artemis caught the bag the Barry threw at her. This wasn't right. The trip out west was supposed to take weeks at best, and they needed time to plan for it. Now she was being shoved out the door with little more than a duffle.

"And what do you mean 'both' of us?" Wally asked. Barry also gave him a bag, but this time handed it to him gingerly. The bottom of his bag sunk with weight, but Wally didn't seem to notice. "Barry, what's going on?"

"There's been some...complications. The Light to be specific," he said quickly as he gathered Artemis's things. "Luckily they don't know what either of you look like, so they won't be looking for you, in particular, but Artemis, you need to keep your sleeves down and avoid any and all health scans and check points."

Barry reached into Wally's bag and pulled out a gun - a pistol of some sort as far as Artemis knew. She never even knew he had one nevertheless how to use it. Barry tinkered with various parts as he showed his nephew how to use it. "Safety on. Safety off. Reload here. Clip goes here. Be careful with this and use it only in emergencies. You guys are small and quick. You can outsmart them."

Artemis looked to Wally. He seemed to carry the same worry and fear in his eyes that she felt. Shouldering the bag, she pulled her sleeves down over the rough patches of skin on her wrists.

"Back stairwell down to trash chute," Wally said.

He placed the gun in the back of his jeans like she had seen in so many old movies. Barry whispered something in his ear and they hugged goodbye, but it was lost on Artemis, her mind whirling with the events from the last few minutes. The older man reached over to hug Artemis.

"Good luck, kiddo. Just keep your head down and you'll be fine." He squeezed tighter, though whether for her sake or his own she couldn't tell. She held on a few moments longer before letting go. "It's just Barry, by the way. Not short for anything...Just Barry." He looked between the two teenagers once more. "If you're going to go, you have to go now. Wally remember - Blüdhaven."

Wally nodded before grabbing her hand as he ran out the door. As they descended the stairs, they were met with little difficulty. Most of the workers in the area must have evacuated. Emergency sirens sounded in the distance as they proceeded further and further away from the only home Artemis had ever known. By the time they reached the garbage chute, the sirens were barely audible.

"There's no other way to do this?" Artemis asked. Warm, putrid air hit her nostrils as she peered down the small square in the wall. Reeling back, she gasped. "Besides how are you going to slide down with a gun in your pants?

"I'll think of something," he replied, half distracted by the various sounds in the tunnels. "This is the fastest way out, and no one will expect an infected kid to go diving into a pile of trash, now move it!" Wally tossed his bag in before grabbing Artemis's. With a halfhearted grin he threw it down the shaft. "Oops! Better go after it."

Somewhere a long the corridor, a door slammed followed by angry muffled voices. Artemis took a deep breath as she jumped in. The tunnels were slick from years of garbage as she slid straight down. Not far behind her she could hear Wally's "Shit shit shit!" before quickly diving in himself. With a wet thud, Artemis landed in the freshest - and thankfully least rotten - pile. There was no way to tell what she had landed in, nor did she really want to. Loud bangs pulled her attention to the ceiling. Wally's form came rushing out of the chute, narrowly missing Artemis.

"Someone saw us down jump down. We gotta keep moving." Wally grabbed the bags and pulled her to her feet. "I think there's a way into the sewers from here. We'll be able to lose them in there."

"First the garbage now the sewers?" Artemis grabbed her bag after attempting to brush the garbage from her hair. She looked up to see his form already heading off into the distance. He looked over his shoulder.

"If you want to be caught by the scary looking chick I saw down the hallway, be my guest. That being said, if you do, Barry and everyone else in this facility will kill me, so I'd really rather you'd keep up."

Artemis looked back up the chute before heading off to follow Wally, certain she heard someone above opening the chute.

* * *

It had been hours, or at least it seemed that way to Artemis. The sewer had proven difficult enough to locate, but when it came to navigating, Wally was a lost cause. Turns lead towards dead ends, and openings sent back towards the inside of the facility. Once they had gotten close to getting outside, and Artemis promised herself that if they were finally free, she would never doubt anything Wally ever did ever again. Unfortunately the way was blocked by a row of bars that refused to yield no matter how they tried to remove them. Another dead end.

"Do you even know where we're going?" Artemis could feel the moisture from the air seeping into her clothes and skin. "We've found three exits and none of them we're good enough."

"We need to go to Blüdhaven, but first we need to get away from here."

"Ok. How do we get to Blüdhaven?"

"We walk. It's only a few miles away, so it shouldn't take too long."

She stopped. "Few mi-Wally, it has to be pushing eight o'clock. You aren't thinking about getting all the way there tonight, are you?"

Artemis heard Wally sigh as he slowed to a stop. "Well, I was," he mumbled. He turned to face her. "We need to get there as quickly as possible."

"Yeah, but…" She leaned against a rusting old ladder, having given up on staying clean for at least a that day. "To walk _miles_, will take _hours._ Not to mention that we could blindly walk into who knows how many nests of infected. If we stop for the night, we can rest then go at daylight where we can actually see around us."

Wally seemed to consider her for a moment, obviously not wanting to agree. "So where are we supposed to sleep? There aren't exactly a hotel near by."

"…I hadn't thought that far ahead yet. We'll walk till we find something."

"Fine, but we need to keep going then. We have to get out before we can get any closer to Blüdhaven."

"Why don't we check here?" Artemis gestured towards the ladder supporting her. "It's why I stopped here."

She laughed as Wally's hand made contact with his forehead. Grumbled curses could be heard as he walked past. "I swear if this is the right manhole, I'll get right down on my knees and ask you to marry me right now."

"Oh, honey that's so sweet," she replied, voice heavy with sarcasm. Her eyes followed him as he ascended the ladder, skimming up the rungs, his legs, his…She shook her head. The sound of the metal cover caught her attention as she craned her head upwards. "What do you see?"

The redhead pulled himself up, vanishing from her sight. "I'll buy you a ring in Blüdhaven." Artemis began climbing after him, the taste of clean air already heavy on her pallet. Wally looked down from the sky briefly enough to help her out before returning his gaze to the sky. Above, stars littered the vast darkness catching Artemis's breath in her throat.

She could count the number of times she had seen real stars on one hand. Much like tonight, every other time had been with Wally. Each time, they'd sit on their same bench, out past curfew, animatedly talking about the different tests Artemis had been put through, Wally's growing crush on his tutor…But these star were different. Bright and clear and far from the lights of the facility.

"I was kidding about the marriage thing," a soft voice whispered as an overlooked hand slowly slipped out of her own. Artemis turned towards the movement. She had completely forgotten that Wally was still there. His eyes were already back on their surroundings.

"We need to go this way." He pointed in what seemed like a random direction.

"Are you sure?" The blonde looked around, trying to discern some of distinguishing landmarks. Nothing. As far as she could see, it was dark and they were stranded on an abandoned road that stretched out into forever. "Why not follow the road?"

"Shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Also, I have no idea where this one goes."

"But you know where we're going?" Wally laughed.

"Something like that."

They walked. Farther than Artemis had ever thought was imaginable. The sewers had been rough enough between the smells and rancid air, but the chance of running into an infected had been next to nothing. While being outside, was a welcome change of pace, every little sound had them on their toes. Infected, wild animals, hunters - all lurked in the wilderness, the night their playtime. Blue-grey eyes danced around, taking everything in. Clusters of trees were barely visible in dark as they dotted the horizon. Old power lines stretched on, electricity no longer running from place to place.

It was hard to even imagine what life had been life before the infection spread. Very few of the films that had been salvaged gave little hints to how things had been before. Most movies weren't playable, and it was hard to find something to play them on. All Artemis and Wally had was a collection of old books and encyclopedias which only Wally had picked up. To the two of them, the world had always been dark and quiet, and there wasn't much chance of a change.

Time passed slowly, and they seemed no closer to their destination. Leaves crunched beneath their feet, each step heavier than the one before. Artemis looked up from her tired feet. Wally walked directly in front of her, never saying a word, occasionally looking up to the sky.

"So what's in Blüdhaven?" Artemis finally asked. She jogged up to his side, matching him stride for stride.

"An old acquaintance of Barry's, and hopefully a car. And if we're really lucky…a bed." Wally's voice was heavy with fatigue. "I'm going to miss beds."

"Why do we need a car? And do you even know how to drive?"

"I know the theory. My dad and Barry said they'd teach me if we ever found a car. Or if the infection cleared off. Which ever came first." A deep sigh left Wally's lips. "Besides, having a car could take days off our timeline. We just have to hope for gas and a clear road."

"Are the roads not clear?" Artemis's fingers played with the rashes on her wrists.

"Some are, but a lot of cities started blocking them off or even destroying major bridges to keep infected out." He had stopped walking again to look up into the sky, seeing something that the blonde did not. "We should probably stop for the night. Head for the trees. That way we'll have some sort of shelter, a place to hide."

Artemis nodded before looking up into the night's sky, hoping to see the same sign her friend seemed to spot so well. Nothing. A mess of stars and nothing…Once agains she jogged to catch up, falling along side him as her thoughts quickly turning to pleas for slumber.

A loud _PING!_ pulled Artemis from thoughts. An unknown object snaked along the grass and through unseen hooks and pulleys. Almost as soon as it had started, they two found themselves crashing together. The red light of a flare illuminated the area, revealing the net that now held them about ten feet off the air. Artemis's head fell into an unknown part of Wally's body as she let out an exasperated sigh.

"Well, we know we're heading in the right direction…"

* * *

_**I am way less than happy with this chapter. I can't think of much else to do with it before it starts doubling in length and I dont want that. My weak has been beyond crappy and stupid, and unfortunately my writing reflects that, hence a late chappy riddles with weirdness.**_

_**Next weeks should be better, just because i have some awesome stuff in mind. I bet you can guess who's coming next! After all I did give you a big ol' **_**blüdy**_** clue.**_

_**Have a great weekend!**_

_**-mags**_


	3. Blüdhaven

**I'm soooooo late and for that I apologize. I've been busy with school and then Compy was in the shop, and I didn't get him back until yesterday. I think it was for the best, though. I was able to think about where I wanted this chapter to go, how to do it, etc. This ended up being a longer chapter, so I'm pretty excited for that. I think as the action starts rolling, getting a min of 2500 words will be a lot easier.**

**Thank you so much for your patience, and I hope you enjoy!**

**Also I didn't edit this because I have to go to work so i'll do that later.**

* * *

Lights and alarms went off within the bunker. Dicks head shot up towards the monitors as Barbara heaved a heavy sigh.

"It's probably just one of the satellite traps." Her breath was shallow and she sat herself up. "Just…get back over here."

"Let me make sure it's nothing important." Dick pulled himself up towards the motherboard. His hand ran halfway through his hair before remembering what he had previously been using it for. "Now where are you bastards?" Quick eyes skimmed over the screen looking for the offenders.

"There," Barbara pointed. "They don't seem to be putting up much of a fight." She had calmed her hair down into a ponytail, and was now pulling her pants back up.

"Could be sleepers."

"Never seen a sleeper get this close."

"Nevertheless, we ought to check it out before The Bat wakes up." Barbara was already miles ahead of him, grabbing packs stuffed with provisions and ammunition.

"Shotgun or crossbow?"

"Shotgun for sure." He grabbed a pack from the redhead and dusted his front off. "So when we get back, it's your turn, right?"

"Oh yeah," her voice dripped with sarcasm as she walked towards the door. "I'll get right on that."

* * *

The net rocked back and forth as if were mocking the two of them. Artemis was still against Wally, her hand resting somewhere along his jeans.

"I hate you so much," Artemis said as they swung. "If we ever get out, I'm going to leave you here for the infected to get you."

"Yeah yeah I know, could you please move your hand now?"

"Yeah just give me a push" Wally's hands shimmied up from underneath her towards the side leaning on him. Both grunted as her weight shifted to the other side of the net. Shifting her legs to Wally's side, she let out a sigh of relief.

"Sorry, I forgot you weren't used to having someone else's hands down there." A chuckle escaped his lips, and she smiled. "So what's that plan for getting us out of here?"

"Well, somebody obviously left this here, so I say we just wait."

"And what? Talk about our feelings? Besides, is it really such a good idea to wait in the dark who knows where for who knows what kind of people?" In the dark, Artemis was able to make out the soft form of Wally shrugging. "Of course."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like."

Wally let out a long groan. He was probably as exasperated as she was, especially being forced into their field trip. Artemis adjusted again as she tried to get comfortable for an inevitably long night. The sky that was once littered with stars was now blocked by bare branches, allowing only one or two through. It had been nice while it lasted, easing the tension from their rough start. Her eyes wandered through the tree limbs as she silently begged for a glimpse of of the moon, or a star. Something. A small tap on her foot pulled her from her thoughts.

"I said, 'How are you doing?' This is the first time you've actually been _outside _outside, right?" Artemis nodded despite the darkness. "So…how's your…thing?"

Instinctively she pulled her sleeves down over her wrists, but not before lingering on the small patch of dry, dead skin. "Still gross," she said at last. She balled her sleeves into her fists to avoid acknowledging them further. "Why?"

"I'm allowed to care." What little light existed seem to catch his eyes as he rolled them.

"Since when?" He groaned again.

"Don't act like this whole friendship thing is a new concept for you. I've known you since we were like five."

"I still prefer the cat."

"That's a lie, and you know it. He tried to claw your face!"

"If I recall correctly, so did you."

"You were trying to kiss me."

"I was trying to infect you. Why does no one ever believe me?" Artemis could practically see the smirk on Wally's face growing. His face was never complete without one, and she absolutely hated him for it. "If it's such an aweful experience for you, why keep brining it up?"

He laughed. "Oh, come on! My mom didn't even buy that."

"I was nine years old! What sort of ulterior motives was I supposed to have?"

"If that's what helps you sleep at night, then by all means…keep lying to yourself."

"I'm going to sleep."

"Sweet dreams!"

"I hope a zombie rips your arm off."

"I wuv you!"

* * *

Dick and Barbara knelt down among the grass as they watched the net swing back and forth.

"They don't look infected," Dick said as he looked through his binoculars. Barbara snatched them from this grip to get a better view.

"They look like they're just sleeping." She lowered the binoculars before picking them back up again. "We're in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, and we caught to people taking a nap in our trap. This had batter be worth leaving at the ass crack of dawn."

"So, you want to wake them up?" Barbara nodded at her partner's question, taking off before he could say anything.

The two snaked between hidden traps, the morning air much cooler out in the open than it was in town. The closer they got, the more it was looking like it was just two kids who got caught in their net. Dick motioned to the rope tethering the net to the tree. Barbara had barely nodded when he cut the rope, the net falling to the ground.

* * *

"Son of a bitch!"

"What the-"

Artemis found herself on top of Wally for the second time. Her neck was already sore for the uncomfortable sleeping positions in the net, but now every bone in her body ached from the sudden drop. Cursing, she crawled off Wally before helping him to his feet.

"Shit she's infected." The male's voice caught her off-guard. Her head shot up finding herself looking down the long barrels of both their guns. Instinctively her ams shot in the air, sleeves at her elbows. The rashes seemed bigger in that moment, like they would spread to the rest of her body at any second. She didn't know what was more terrifying - the guns, or the idea that she could get worse.

"There's been a misunderstanding. We can explain." Wally's voice was calm as he inched closer to her side. The redhead turned her rifle on him, stopping him in his tracks.

"Oh, I know. Red, your girlfriend's infected, and she doesn't really want to see you anymore. It's not you, it's her."

"No, if you would let us explain for one second-" The girl advanced, butting him in the chest with her gun. She walked him back towards the clearing, away from the trees and Artemis. Panic was setting in. They didn't even make it twenty-four hours.

Artemis looked back at the boy facing her. He looked to young to be doing this, but he was handling the whole situation with such nonchalance. One eyebrow raised as he looked back at her. His lips formed a hard line, mocking their distress.

"Any last words?"

She looked to Wally for some sort of guidance, but got nothing. He looked as lost as she did. The boy in front of her shrugged as she turned back. Nothing seemed right, so she said the first thing that came to mind. Her eyes shut as tightly as they could in preparation for the pain.

"Barry Allen sent us to get a car from some guy he used to know so I can get out to California to provide a cure for this whole zombie thing." The words poured out faster than she could stop them. The boy and the redhead looked to one another, the former smirking as he lowered his gun. The girl lowered her's as she stormed over to hit him on the shoulder.

"You little troll! How long have you known?!"

"About five minutes." He shouldered the shotgun before turning back to Artemis. "Yup, the world may be ending, but word still gets around. I'm Dick, and you must be Artemis."

He offered his hand to her, but Artemis couldn't bring herself to lower her own arms. She looked between the three of them once more. Dick smiled as the girl massaged her temples. When her eyes landed on Wally he gave another shrug, his own arms still in the air.

"An explaination? Please?" Wally asked.

* * *

The tension didn't ease up much as they walked through the grass towards Blüdhaven. Dick and Barbara, as she had introduced herself, explained how things weren't much better off in their area of town. The places was crawling with infected, mostly sleepers, the quiet kind that didn't do much. They spent most of their time standing around than actually hunting. It was the howlers that were causing all the trouble. They traveled in packs of three to five, but unlike the sleepers, actively searched the area and didn;t need provocation to attack. On their own they were fine, but they were loud and attract the attention of almost every nearby infected. What started out as a group of five can quickly become twenty or thirty.

"It's what happened to pretty much all the big metropolitan areas," Barbara explained. She walked with her head over her shoulder, always looking out. "There are still a couple of us in the Blüdhaven/Gotham area making sure not everything goes to shit, but there's only so much we can do. The city's pretty much a jungle-gym of booby traps and rundown buildings. Really the only clean area is the center"

"But how did you know we were coming?" Wally and Artemis marched a few steps behind the others, still wary of the situation.

"The Ol' Bat's got his ways," Dick responded. He had turned to face them while walking backwards.

"But there's no post service anymore. And even with electricity, there's no internet."

"He likes the exercise."

Artemis stopped in her tracks. "Wait. You're telling me that there's some zombie survivalist superguy running back and forth between Blüdhaven and the facility where we stayed, and I had to walk here by myself?"

"He likes to check the traps along the way," Dick said with a smile. "Besides he's not great company. You'd probably be much better off with your uh-"

"Nope," Wally and Artemis said together. Dick grinned.

"Right." He turned back around and started walking again. "How's everything looking, Babs?"

"100 meters off I'd say. She's smart."

"Who's smart?" No matter how much they explained, Artemis still felt lost.

"Oh, we're being followed," Barbara responded, turning back to face the rest of the group. The concern must have shown on her face. "There's noting we can do out in the open. We're getting close to the outskirts of town, and we can do something then."

They walked in silence, ever conscious of the figure following them. So many times Artemis wished to look back to try and catch a glimpse, but knew it would be risking too much. Time moved slowly as the scenery blurred together, and it felt like they would never reach their destination. She seemed exist somewhere between awake and sleep as they traveled.

It was after the tenth clump of trees that buildings started to form on the horizon. They were mostly squat houses or gas stations, all abandoned. In the distance, larger buildings loomed, a welcome sight to the four of them. Without a word they carefully picked up the pace. Each step was quicker and lighter as they got closer to the abandoned houses.

"We can sneak in and out through these houses," Dick whispered. "They should be clean, so we won't have to worry about anything once we hit cover. When we break 50 meters, we'll start running, and Barbara will handle the dirty work."

"I think you mean have all the fun." She turned around to face Wally and Artemis as she talked. "Just keep running and don't look back. Do everything Dick tells you. I'll be five minutes behind you." The two nodded as she spoke. "Now, if you don't mind…" Barbara took hold of her rifle and aimed towards the farthest cluster of trees. The shot rang out across the field as the three took off running.

Artemis compulsively grabbed Wally's hand, his faster pace pulling her along. Dick led them straight into the backyard of deserted home, twisting through rooms, out the side entrance and into another. The pattern continued, Dick tossing makeshift smoke bombs here and there to loose their trail. Eventually they came to a stop in the middle of the neighborhood. Outside smoke settled heavily in the streets. Dick checked his bags, sighing at his lack of supplies.

"Bruce is going to kill me." He ran into the kitchen and came back with various odds and ends that seemed more important to him than they did Artemis.

"Won't Barbara get lost in all this smoke? She has no idea where we are, and we ran through like a dozen houses."

"We take the same route in and out of this neighborhood. All the other ones are trapped - nets, explosives, whatever. She'll be fine. Plus she's not too far behind. She should be here any minute."

Artemis felt herself sliding down a doorframe towards the floor, thankful to be sitting properly for the first time in hours. Her hands reached to her blonde hair tied back behind her head. Her fingers found a free lock and began twisting it, feeling the individual strands leave her fingertips. The sun was already setting in the distance casting the room in an orange glow.

Somewhere in the distance a low guttural howl sounded. Three heads shot up at the sound as Barbara crashed through the side door. She panted heavily before standing upright.

"She's…She's really quick, but I lost her. I think she stumbled into a nest of howlers, though? We need to go. Also I think I'm out of ammo."

Dick nodded before shouldering his pack. Out through the backdoor, most of the smoke had dissipated. Quietly they snuck between houses, making sure to not alert anyone or thing to their presence. They went quickly this time, not stopping to check for cover, just straight through, lucky enough to not find any trouble.

On the other side, the city of Blüdhaven stretched out before them. Vines and folliage seemed to cover every building, coming from any and all crack and spaces it could find, reaching for the calming sun. There was scarcely a sign of human life, or anything really. Not even strays roamed the streets searching for scraps. The place was truly abandoned. Barbara and Dick lead them towards the center of town, under and over various straps, all handmade and all incredibly deadly.

"Looks like someone doesn't want neighbors," Wally remarked as he climbed under a thin wire.

"So he's a bit eccentric, but he's kept a near two mile radius clean, and that's not bad for an area pretty much surrounded by water."

"Ok, so when so we get to meet Blüdhaven's mysterious savior?" Artemis's slender frame slipped around the wires with ease.

"Right now." Dick pulled a heavy metal door aside on an old warehouse nestled among some of the larger buildings. Completely unassuming and protected, the building inside was completely different. Clean and teaming with the electricity of who knew how many generators, they had obviously arrived at their destination. "Welcome to the Bat Cave…The Blüdhaven branch."


	4. Bruce

Inside the warehouse teemed with electricity as the four stepped through the doors. Generators and wires ran from the rafters high above down to the floors giving life to TVs and lights. The building hummed with a gentle vibration. The last bit of humanity in Blüdhaven.

Wally gave an impressed whistle as he walked towards the wall of screens. The system was hardly state of the art, housing six televisions of various size and make. Each one showed a different area of the city, and even some of the more rural small grove where Artemis and Wally had spent the previous night could be seen in one of the bottom corners.

"So you guys must have a shitload of generators going to power all this." His eyes danced as they followed the wires up and up far above him.

"Yup, and couple of car batteries, some solar panels." Dick threw his bag down, talking as he closed the doors. "Kind of impressive how he did it really."

"That's because I did it," Barbara interjected. "Seriously, how would you expect Bruce to do any of this?" She sat down in an old chair in front of the screens.

"You did all of this?" Wally asked. He looked around, still impressed by his surroundings. "The center back home had a lab, but most of the electricity went to lights and very basic equipment. Nothing on this scale."

"Most of what lies outside is on solar, but they're a bitch to put together. Almost killed myself a half dozen times trying to get all the materials. What's in here runs on car batteries and even a couple of gas powered ones."

"That was my idea." The door finally closed as Dick rested against it.

"Yes, you're a true technological genius." Barbara swiveled around in her chair to face the screens. "No sign of Bruce on screen. Think he's home?"

"No way. If he were he'd be in that chair."

Their voices trailed off as Artemis walked around the building, totally lost in the mess of the wired building around her. There was nothing like this back home. Lights, basic refrigeration, and Barry's lab, that's where the power went. And sure they were allowed to watch a movie every now and again, mostly just for birthdays, really, but this was a whole new level. To be honest there wasn't even much to look at where she was, just wires hanging down from their sources above. Her foot dusted a couple of tools on the ground as she watched a patch of sparks come off some revealed wires. She backed up to avoid the sparks, but only managed to back into something else. Turning quickly Artemis found herself staring up into two very dark and very angry eyes.

"I didn't mean to," she blurted. The figure walked past as Artemis quickly followed towards the others. "Dick let us in and Barry sent us, he said you know him and could…"

"You brought them here?" His voice was deep and powerful and felt as if it shook the entire building. Dick immediately sat up from the floor as Barbara continued to turn in her chair. Wally's eyes locked onto Artemis's, his eyebrows cocked.

"We were being followed, besides you knew she was coming." There was a slight tremble in Dick's voice as he spoke.

"And now your pursuers know where we are."

"You're hardly a secret, Bruce. The entire east coast knows you're here." Barbara had stopped in front of the monitors.

His eyes narrowed. "You could have lead someone here."

"So what? I lead them through town and waste all the traps? This saved time and resources, and you know it." Bruce stared down at Dick who seemed to gaining some confidence. He must have struck some kind of cord as Bruce was now turning back to the two newcomers. Wally and Artemis had inched closer together, both pairs of eyes darting between Dick and Bruce. Barbara remained motionless in front of the monitors.

"That's not the point."

"No, I'm pretty sure the point is getting a car, so we can leave," Artemis mumbled. The older man turned to look at her, clearly having heard her comment. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Wally palm his face. She rolled her eyes. "Well, it's true. We're not here for a field trip. You're supposed to help me get a car."

"Cars are hardly a plentiful resource, and most of the working parts have been scavenged." Barbara's voice floated over from the chair. The screens behind her showed mostly ruin, scrapped cars, and sleepers.

"But there are working parts somewhere? Or enough parts to at least get one started?" The blonde head turned from the other girl back towards Bruce, who's stone cold demeanor seemed to deepen after that question. From behind the chair, Barbara turned around, eyeing the man. Their eyes held a conversation that he was plainly loosing.

"Don't get too comfortable." Bruce said before turning for the door. Dick quickly got out of the way to let him pass, half-heartedly finding himself next to Barbara, who threw a quick wink to Artemis. The door shut with a large bang.

"He seems friendly," Wally offered. Artemis playfully bumped him and Dick chuckled.

"Don't take it too personally. He treats everyone that way, especially us."

"So what? He goes out and magically returns with a minivan or something?" Artemis had returned to looking around the old building, deeming it safe to pry. Barbara snorted.

"No, he's probably resetting all the traps. He won't be back till late, if he's back at all tonight. We'll most likely go car shopping tomorrow." Artemis nodded in reply.

"I'm gonna look around." She turned before anyone said anything else. Wally caught up to her in a matter of steps, and she could feel his eyes on her. "Yes?"

"Nothing," he said. He quickened so he could walk in front, turning around to face her. "You're getting nervous."

"I'm not nervous."

"You're getting defensive."

"I'm not defensive."

"Uh-huh. Remind me what the definition of defensive is again?"

"Wally, what do you want?" She continued followed him, despite him facing the wrong way.

"I want you to breathe…In, out…and stop worrying."

"I'm not worried."

"No, but you will be, and when that happens, I'd like to avoid becoming a punching bag, okay?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Well, I have about a dozen scars on my knees if you need a reminder all the same."

Artemis's eyes finally left his to look around. The area held less electricity, and looked like it was mostly storage. Spare ammunition and weapons laid scattered about amongst crates of odds and ends. Bricks, empty bottles, assorted hardware, it all had a purpose in Bruce's eyes, while Artemis couldn't even comprehend how it all fit together.

"You should get these guys to help out back home when this is all over," she said, her eyes following the ceiling as high as it went.

"You mean we." Wally watched her, his inquisitive gaze having never left her face.

"Right."

* * *

Silence enveloped the room as Artemis started up at the ceiling. Barbara had offered the room's only bed, instead lying on the floor on a second mattress. Somewhere down the hall, Wally was lost to Artemis, presumably sharing a room with Dick.

"So," her voice cut through the air. "What's it like? The infection and everything?"

Artemis shifted. "I'd hardly notice it if it weren't for everyone talking about it."

"Oh. Sorry."

"No, it's fine. It's not your fault." She exhaled through her nose. "How were you supposed to know?"

Barbara shifted across the room. "Well, after you've saved the planet, you should definitely come back through Blüdhaven. It's nice not being the only girl for once."

"You mean you don't like being with Dick and Bruce everyday?" she joked.

The redhead laughed and it filled up the room. "I mean, Dick's great to have around for all of the obvious reasons, but...Listen, Artemis, we are surrounded by idiots. We girls need to stick together."

Artemis was touched by her kindness and smiled to herself. That would have been the ideal - provide a cure, help clean up the country, kind of like those superheroes in all those old comics Wally liked to read. But things probably weren't going to go that way, at least not how Barry described it. She sighed.

"I uh…I think the trip out west is going to be a bit more of a permanent move for me. Wally could always come back though. It's close enough to home."

"He's not staying with you?"

"No, there's not really any reason why he would…I'm not going to be uh…" She paused trying to think of how to word her thoughts. After a few heavy seconds Barbara spoke.

"Oh." Artemis didn't respond. "I - Does he-"

"No," she said immediately. "I don't want him to." She rolled over onto her side, the one she assumed was away from Barbara. "He's all I got, and telling him would just..." Artemis let out another deep sight before rolling back over to look at Barbara. "Look, there are only about five people who know about this, and to be honest I hate talking about it, so you cannot tell him. That has to be something I do…hopefully before we get to California."

In the darkness the blonde could faintly make out a nodding motion from Barbara's area. She sighed as she laid back down, thoughts rushing through her head, mostly the surgery and Wally. Each time she drifted off a new worry came to mind, one by one until light slowly started filtering in through the window.

* * *

Bruce unfolded a map on the floor on the ground level. Before them old streets of Blüdhaven webbed out under hastily made notes and annotations. A large red circle surrounded a small area of the city, the part of the industrial district where they were located. Red X's marked out areas around them in what had been once densely populated areas.

"This should be easy enough for even the two of you so long as you stay close." He was marking routes on the map and circling new buildings, a few accompanied by question marks.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Artemis was cranky after two nights in a row of less than pleasurable sleep. It wasn't so much that she hadn't slept well the night prior, she just spent most of the night worrying about Wally and the trip only to be woken earlier than hoped.

"Most of the cars within the safe zone have been picked over in the last years. What remains is in poor condition and at least three to five miles away, and there is no easy way to get there. Sleepers inhabit most of the city…" His fingers gestured over the map as he pointed to various marked areas. "There are a couple colonies of biters, but most reside within old apartment and office buildings."

"Biters?" Wally yawned. He scratched the back of his neck as he listened.

"The big ones with the teeth," Dick explained

"We're going to want to head towards this area," Bruce continued. "Parking garages, apartment buildings. More cars means a better chance of finding one that still works."

"Didn't you just say that is where all the biters are?" Artemis was now leaning on the table in an effort to not fall asleep.

"If you're not willing to get dirty you might as well turn around and go home now other wise you might be able to do some good in this world." His dark eyes flashed to her holding some kind of sadness that she couldn't quite see. Quickly, he turned back to the map continuing the plan. "We're going to bring some basic tools and a battery with us, but nothing that will slow us down. If we go this way," his fingers once again traced a route on the map, "we should hit minimal trouble and reach the area before nightfall."

It seemed simple enough to Artemis. Get in, grab a car, leave, but Dick, Barbara, and Bruce were packing for a war. Ammo, rags, and alcohol went in one bag while the second held the car battery, various auto parts, and a couple jugs of fluid. The third, Bruce's pack, held even more ammo and basic supplies, along with some even more complicated looking objects - compressed cans of who knows what and bottles of clear liquid.

Wally and Artemis still had their sacks from home which contained little more than a change of clothes and a few days provisions. On top of Wally's bag was his pistol, still unfired, though Artemis couldn't say how much longer that would last. A quick tap on the shoulder caused her to turn, finding herself face to face with an intimidating weapon.

"Crossbow," Barbara said. "You don't look like the gun type." She winked before showing her how to load it, puling back on the strings before loading in the bolt. "Safety, aim, shoot." The arrow flew out, hitting one of nearby crates. "But they can also be a pain in the ass, and don't load quickly, so just to be safe," She reached behind her and brought out a rifle. "Fairly similar if you think about it. Bullets go in here, pull on the bolt, safety, aim, fire." Once again she walked through the steps, this time not firing.

"How old is this thing?" Artemis asked. Her hands were careful to not go near the trigger.

"I have no clue honestly. I think Bruce said it belonged to his dad or something."

"And he doesn't mind me using this?"

"Let's just assume he doesn't know," Barbara winked before walking towards Wally, giving him a similar talk and a box of ammunition.

They were out the door less than twenty minutes later, and back out into the wild. Bruce lead the way followed closely by Dick and Barbara. Wally and Artemis brought up the rear, neither one knowing what to expect. The route had them going about five miles out, but Artemis found herself hoping it would be closer to three. Going farther out meant wilder territory and sorer feet. The morning dragged on, most of the time spent avoiding traps than infected. There were no stops for breaks or food. A couple of times Bruce would peek into a building for supplies, but often came out empty handed.

The sun was starting to make its way overhead when they finally left the safe zone. Alleyways filled with traps soon gave way to mess and decay with makeshift barricades blocking most of the roads. Their only reliable option was to make their way through the abandoned buildings which unfortunately meant nests of infected. Most were easily avoidable, preferring the lower levels, forcing the group to trek up stairs to avoid them.

It wasn't until the fourth building out of the safe zone that all hell broke loose. Sneaking low to the ground, Bruce lead them to the stairs, Dick and Barbara quickly following with Wally and Artemis watching each step they took. It was in that brief moment of looking up that completely screwed her over. Artemis winced as her foot made contact with an old aluminum can, sending it rolling across the floor. The tinny noise echoed across the building, sounding louder and louder with each second. Artemis opened her eyes. Dick, Barbara, and Wally all looked pained. Slowly she adjusted her gaze to Bruce, who looked ready to kill. In the distance snarls and growls hurried towards the source of the noise. Biters.

Bruce only needed one word.

"Run."

* * *

**First off, I want to thank all of you for your patience and awesomeness with how long this has taken me. I could give you a million reasons why, but long story short, fanfic wasn't the most mission critical thing on my plate, and for that I apologize.**

**Second, a HUUUUUGE thank you to Opaul and Geekdad for proofing this for me. They're both way nicer about this chapter than they should be and very supportive, so definitely check them out or say hi because they're ~AMAZING~!**

**This chapter was the much needed world building and transition, and once chappy five gets up, we'll start seeing a real change of pace (as I'm sure you can tell). Thank you all so much for kind and supportive words!**

**-mags :D**


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